Movement for the Defence of Democracy: Who are these youths?
Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga’s 14-day ultimatum to President William Ruto to open poll servers and address the high cost of living has finally lapsed.
Mr Odinga has all along been clear on one thing. Should President Ruto fail to meet his demands, then he will unleash his troops on the government, part of hi plan being mobilising his supporters into a countrywide mass action and civil disobedience.
President Ruto, on the other hand, has been goading Mr Odinga to make good his threats, saying he won’t be intimidated.
But even before Mr Odinga’s planned mass action gets into motion, protests have become a common place on the streets of Nairobi in recent days.
First it was comedian Eric Omondi and his bare-chested mob who staged a sit-down outside Parliament Buildings before they were arrested and charged in court.
Then sometime last week, more than 40 youths were arrested after they staged similar protests at Kenya Railways roundabout and outside Kenya National Archives.
Also read: Inside Raila’s grand resistance plan
The police said the group, that calls itself Movement for the Defence of Democracy (MDD) held an illegal assembly and that they had not informed the authorities of their plans to picket.
During the arrest, police confiscated 75 beige shirts that most of the protesters were dressed in. The police also confiscated 29 red berets with a badge labelled Movement for the Defence of Democracy, 97 miniature Kenyan flags, blue helmets and packets of plastic whistles.
The protest may have been foiled, but just like Eric Omondi’s bare-chested mob, this other uniformed group was also a sight to behold.
On the same day, the arrests were made, members of the Mombasa chapter of Movement for the Defence of Democracy addressed the media at Mama Ngina Waterfront saying they were waiting for the expiry of the 14-day ultimatum issued by Mr Odinga.
Like their counterparts in Nairobi, this group was also dressed in red shirts and and red berets.
Also read: Roadblocks mounted around State House in anticipation of Raila protests
So who exactly are these youths calling themselves Movement for the Defence of Democracy? Are they political activists or is the movement a euphemism for “Jeshi la Baba”?
Until early last month, not much had been heard about Movement for the Defence of Democracy. But the group came into prominence on February 5, when Mr Odinga unveiled the resistance movement during a political rally at Kamukunji grounds in Kibera, Nairobi.
“I want to introduce a team of youth and I want all of you to join this troop,” Mr Odinga said when he unveiled the movement.
One group member who spoke on that occasion said the movement draws its membership from across the country, including university students, and that their brief is to execute Mr Odinga’s resistance plan.
While not so much remains known about the formation, leadership structure and how members are recruited, all indications are that the group will be at the core of Mr Odinga’s planned resistance and mass action.
Also read: Raila’s nationwide protests looming large